CH 103

Late November, 1572.

On October 3rd, the Oda family was shaken. Takeda made a move. News arrived that Shingen, leading an army of 22,000, had set out from his base in Kofu. Before Shingen set out, it was clear that Takeda was mobilizing all his forces to face the upcoming battle, as Yamagata Masakage and Akayama Torafusa were each leading 5,000 troops in their advance. From this lineup, it was clear to everyone that their aim was not just Tokugawa. Everyone understood that they were targeting the Oda family behind them.

Nobunaga left Gifu and received Takeda’s report while confirming the situation with the Asakura and Asai at Yokoyama Castle in Omi Province.

“Judging from the number of horses and the scale of Konida, this is a major winter expedition. From the number of troops, it is clear that this is not just a minor skirmish with Tokugawa, but a mobilization of Takeda’s military strength!”

The words “Takeda’s full military strength” tightened the expressions of the generals. And their doubts turned into certainty. The reason why Asai and Asakura had been holed up in their castles for so long, the reason why Shogun Yoshiaki had cut off ties with the Oda family, the reason why the activities of the Honganji Temple, which had remained silent until now, had become active. The answer was Takeda’s major expedition.

Those with keen intuition understood that the once broken Oda encirclement was about to close again. Takeda would chase the prey and deliver the final blow. Those who joined the Oda encirclement only needed to wait to ensure that the prey could not escape. It was a sufficient reason for them to become more active. Only Nobunaga remained calm, but even the renowned general Shibata was sweating profusely from extreme tension.

“Um, I’m afraid to say this. With this fact, the friendly relationship between Takeda and Oda has collapsed. I believe it is necessary to send reinforcements to Tokugawa immediately.”

“We will not send reinforcements.”

Mitsuhide proposed a sensible countermeasure in the current situation, but Nobunaga immediately rejected it. His words caused the generals to become unsettled.

“However, if Tokugawa is defeated, next will be our Oda family. If that happens, we will have no chance of winning. We have limited troops to send out in this situation. But it is certain that we will be defeated if it’s only Tokugawa.”

“Don’t make a fuss. I never said I would abandon anyone.”

Nobunaga’s words further disturbed the generals. But Nobunaga did not say anything more.

The report that the Takeda army had set out from Kofu also reached Shizuko, who was in Owari.

“Oh, is that so?”

However, unlike Aya’s panic, Shizuko remained unchanged in her attitude. Seeing her unwavering composure, Keiji, who was playing shogi with her, was surprised.

“Is that so? No, it’s Takeda!!”

“Hey, calm down. There’s no point in panicking. Oh, and tell Uncle Ashimitsu to come here. And while you’re at it, ask him to bring that thing from the storehouse.”

“Uh, yes.”

“After this game, call the usual people, Keiji. Well, I can’t give you the details until Uncle Ashimitsu arrives.”

“Y-yes.”

Aya regained some composure as she replied and quickly left the room to give instructions to various places. Shizuko smiled wryly at the hurried footsteps and made her move in the game.

“I hope she doesn’t rush and fall.”

“I can’t understand Shizuchi’s composure. Only someone like Shizuchi wouldn’t even bat an eye at the mention of Takeda.”

“I said it before, but if rushing would change the situation, I would rush as much as I can. But reality doesn’t change. So isn’t it just a waste to rush? Take that!”

“Ah!”

Perhaps because Keiji was also internally disturbed, he carelessly overlooked and lost his rook, a major piece. The plan was to take Shizuko’s rook in exchange for his bishop and deprive Shizuko of her mobility. But now, the situation was not just unfavorable, but in a state of collapse.

“It’s no use. I can’t play properly in this situation. I surrender.”

“If you get flustered, you’ll leave an opening. Now, Keiji. Please contact the usual people.”

While fiddling with the shogi pieces with one hand, Shizuko asked Keiji to contact the others. Keiji sighed and left the room. In the empty room, Shizuko was convinced. They had already crossed the watershed, and the only way out was to defeat Takeda.

“Hehe, I’m not particularly worried… not really.”

Human emotions can be detected in body odor. Wittman and the others, who sensed Shizuko’s unease, approached her. Shizuko stroked them as if to say she was fine, but Wittman and the others didn’t leave her side. After a while, Ashimitsu arrived first, followed by Keiji with the others. The group consisted of the usual military commanders: Keiji, Nagayoshi, Saizo, Takatora (Yokichi Toudou), Ashimitsu. And leading Shizuko’s main force were Genro, Jinzo, and Shikichi. There were other leaders in Shizuko’s main force, but since Shizuko had decided to confide in these eight people first, this group was fixed for the first war council.

“Well, I think you’ve already heard, but Takeda’s army has set out from Kofu.”

Moving to the meeting room, Shizuko announced to everyone that Takeda Shingen’s Seijo Operation had begun. Some were surprised by Takeda’s departure, while others were filled with fighting spirit, and some remained unchanged. But except for Ashimitsu, they all had a common question.

“Lord, we understand that Takeda has set out, but what does that have to do with us being gathered here?”

Takeda’s departure was indeed a crisis for the survival of the Oda family. However, it was unclear why they would hold a war council without orders from Nobunaga. That was the common question on everyone’s mind.

“Ah… Can I just say it already? It’s almost certain, but we are the ones going to reinforce Tokugawa.”

“What!?”

“Oops, calm down. I’ll explain in detail now.”

While calming down the flustered group, Shizuko instructed Aya to clear the room. Following Aya’s movements, Wittman and the others also ran off to monitor the designated area according to Shizuko’s intentions. After a while, the presence of people disappeared from the residence. With no fear of leaks, Shizuko took a deep breath and took out a map from her pocket.

“This is a rough map of the area around Hamamatsu Castle. Takeda is mobilizing all his military strength. It’s clear that this is not just a minor skirmish with Tokugawa.”

“Approximately how many troops?”

“Yamagata Masakage no Jo is leading 5,000 troops from Shinano to Mikawa. Akayama Hokiki no Kami is leading 5,000 troops from Higashi Mino. Takeda’s main force is leading 22,000 troops and advancing from Kofu towards Mikawa. So, Akayama’s force makes it a total of 27,000 troops.”

“About 30,000 troops. Even if we mobilize our entire force, we…”

Genro’s expression clouded with despair. It was understandable that he would be disheartened. Even if Shizuko’s entire force was mobilized, it would be around 10,000 troops. Assuming Tokugawa’s force was also mobilized to about 10,000 based on their national power, the combined forces would be close to 20,000. They were not only outnumbered, but they were facing the formidable Takeda army, which could equalize the odds with twice the number of troops. There was no chance of winning, let alone a discussion.

“We can’t overcome the numerical disadvantage no matter what. So we’ll compensate for the numbers with the quality of our weapons.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Shizuko placed the new matchlock gun that Ashimitsu had brought on the table. Everyone’s gaze was fixed on it, but it only looked like a matchlock gun with some unfamiliar parts.

“Hey, a matchlock gun alone won’t do anything. Or is this something that has amazing performance?”

Nagayoshi pointed at the matchlock gun and questioned Shizuko. Although the others didn’t say anything, they had the same thoughts as Nagayoshi.

“It may look like a strange matchlock gun, but it’s not because we don’t use matchlocks anymore. For now, let’s call it a new model gun. Anyway, it’s the first equipment that will overturn the disadvantage in the Takeda battle.”

“Can we really rely on just the performance of weapons?”

“No problem. There are rules in warfare. I’ll spare you the details, but we use the product of the weapon’s performance and the square of the number of troops as the measure of combat capability. To overturn the numerical advantage, we have to greatly surpass it with the performance of our weapons. Katsuzo’s question is valid, but seeing is believing. Once you see its performance, all doubts will vanish.”

Shizuko’s mention of the laws of warfare referred to the second law of Lanchester. Although it is now well-known in business strategy and other fields, it originally came from a mathematical model of combat. However, to bring up Lanchester’s second law, it is necessary to have a weapon like a machine gun that can attack multiple people at once. Therefore, even if it is a new model gun, it is a bit unreliable to apply Lanchester’s second law to the battle with Takeda. In other words, it was a bluff to dispel everyone’s anxiety.

“Well, actions speak louder than words. Uncle Ashimitsu will now show you its performance. So please.”

“Understood. Everyone, follow me.”

As Ashimitsu picked up the new model gun on the table, he called out to everyone and stood up. The remaining members looked at each other and then turned their gaze to Shizuko. Shizuko, who received everyone’s gaze, took a sip of water from her canteen, swallowed it, and waved with a smile. No matter how many words she repeated, the fact she saw with her own eyes was more convincing. Prompted by Shizuko, they each followed Ashimitsu.

“Now, I wonder what kind of faces everyone will come back with.”

Shizuko murmured that and took a breath. Then, a dry gunshot echoed loudly. Shizuko wondered if everyone was taken aback or pleasantly surprised. She pondered on their reactions based on their personalities and chuckled to herself.

“Once the Takeda battle is over, can we introduce Operations Research, I wonder?”,Shizuko muttered while looking into the distance. Operations Research, abbreviated as OR, can be described as “problem-solving science” that solves various problems using a scientific, or “straightforward,” approach. This was a discipline that was developed by the United States during World War II to effectively achieve victory against Germany and Japan. It combined Lanchester’s laws and game theory to seek efficient ways to win. In recent years, the methodology consciously taken up by OR can be said to include “simulation,” which everyone uses in their daily lives.

Although OR originated from the military, it is not limited to that field and can be applied in various areas. This is because the history of problem-solving using OR becomes an asset. It is the accumulation of methods for analyzing problems in various fields and connecting them to decision-making, the so-called “smart way.” This becomes the established method of OR. Even today, OR researchers from around the world are digging up new problems, studying and presenting problem-solving methods for them, and there even exists an “OR Society.” The effective approach to “analysis and decision-making” is said to have extremely broad applicability.

“Even if it’s not right away, I want to make it a standard way of thinking. It stimulates various fields and becomes an asset just by accumulating it.”

There are various aims for popularizing it, but the most important one is the stimulation it brings to various industries through the OR method. The industries developed by the Oda clan are unique and receive very little external stimulation. If they remain closed off internally, even if problems arise, they will be trapped by the fixed idea that it is just the way things are and eventually reach a deadlock and burst like arteriosclerosis. To overcome this, Shizuko wanted to introduce OR and actively work on problem-solving.

While thinking about how to popularize it, Shizuko realized that hurried footsteps were approaching. She thought they had hurriedly returned, but at that moment, the sliding door at the entrance flew in the wrong direction.

“Shizuko! What was that!!”

As expected, Nagayoshi was the first to rush in. Keiji, Saizo, and the others followed behind him. The sliding door, which flew in a parabolic trajectory, was stuck in the opposite sliding door, exposing a miserable state. Shizuko thought that they would have to buy a new set, and she poured water from her water bottle and said a word, showering them with cold water.

“For now, we’ll deduct the repair cost of the sliding door from everyone’s salary.”

“Huh!? Ah, the sliding door just flew off on its own.”

“I’m kidding. I’m sure you all have questions, but sit down quietly.”

Glancing at the open entrance, everyone took their designated seats. Aya was asked to set up a spare sliding door, and just as the situation was resolved, Ashimitsu also returned. After confirming that he had taken his seat, Shizuko resumed the conversation.

“Well, as you can see, I’ve prepared various things. I’m sure you all understand that.”

“Well, yeah. I don’t know how it was made, but I understand that Shizuko had prepared something.”

“That’s all that matters. I just prepared the situation. It’s up to you all to seize the opportunity.”

Everyone understood without Shizuko having to say it. While they were the rear guard externally, Shizuko was thinking about something else.

“The undefeated Takeda army in the expedition. We will be the first and last to give them a defeat. How about that? A great victory that no one else could achieve. Overcoming overwhelming disadvantages and achieving victory, that’s the true essence of the rear guard, isn’t it?”

The Oda-Tokugawa alliance, or more accurately, the Oda army, will defeat the Takeda army, which mobilized its entire forces to conquer the Oda clan. If this operation is successful, the name of the Oda clan will resound throughout the land, despite being vastly outnumbered and outmatched.

“Katsuzo (Mori Nagayoshi), you must want to test your own strength soon. So, I want you to take down Yamagata Masakage.”

“Yamagata…!?”

Shizuko intended to pit Nagayoshi against Yamagata Masakage, the vanguard general of the Takeda army and the leader of the strongest Akambei.

“Are you scared?”

“Of course! But more than that, I feel a strong determination to take Yamagata’s head!”

Nagayoshi’s army consists mostly of young men with little experience. However, because there are many young people, there are also many fearless individuals, and the fear of Akambei is lessened. In other words, even when they see Akambei, they can continue to fight with momentum.

“Saizo-san, I want you to take down Baba. Considering the current situation, I think your army is the most capable of countering Baba. Keiji-san, Yokichi-kun, Ashimitsu-san, you will only give the signal for the charge, but after that, you are free to act according to your own judgment.”

“But, then Shizuko-sama’s surroundings…”

Shizuko understood what Saizo wanted to say. Understanding that, she shook her head.

“This time, everyone is risking their lives. It’s not necessary for me to be in a safe place alone. Once I give the order, the overall commander is unnecessary. Moreover, our opponent is Takeda. If I don’t take the lead, no one will follow. By taking the lead, the soldiers can be inspired and believe in victory.”

“Shizuko-sama… understood! I will risk my life to take down Baba!”

“Please do. And Genro, gather trustworthy people.”

“Understood! How should I gather them?”

Shizuko took the new gun that Ashimitsu had used and handed it to Genro.

“In this Takeda battle, the gunners will change the momentum. Genro’s role is to lead the gunners. Jinzuke-san and Shikichi-san are the same, but their approach is slightly different as they use guns while riding horses.”

“Huh? Um, huh!?”

The three of them exclaimed in surprise. A group that handles guns, like the Saika and Negoro groups, can become an armed group that can stand on its own as mercenaries just by that. If they lead such a group, it would be a significant promotion. And not just within Shizuko’s army. They would also be able to show their name to the outside world.

“I can only provide the opportunity. Whether you make a name for yourself or become a laughingstock, it’s up to you.”

“Uh…”

“I believe in all of you. Be the pioneers in handling this gun. Become individuals who leave their names in history.”

Keiji thought it was clever. Genro and the others had faced adversity, so they had a stronger desire to meet Shizuko’s expectations. That’s why they had been steadily advancing in Shizuko’s army. Until now, they had only been evaluated within Shizuko’s army, and in other Oda armies, they were just considered ordinary soldiers. There was a difference in treatment between those who inherited their position from a prestigious parent and those who were completely unknown. However, if they could demonstrate the presence of the gunners through this battle, their reputation would be known to the masses. Depending on their achievements, their allies would feel relieved when they heard their name, and their enemies would tremble when they heard it. For them, who had been treated poorly until now, there was no choice but to respond to Shizuko’s trust.

“Once you gather everyone, learn how to handle the new gun from Uncle Ashimitsu.”

“Yes!”

“If you have any other questions, let me know. I’ll answer as much as possible.”

She looked around at everyone while asking, but no one voiced any questions. Everyone’s eyes were filled with fighting spirit, and they had a unique determination to understand their roles. Feeling a sufficient sense of confidence, Shizuko nodded slightly.

“Alright, everyone’s determination is enough. We’ll disband for today. Train and rest well while waiting for the time to come.”

“Yes!”

Everyone responded with a spirited voice to Shizuko’s closing words.

As soon as the meeting ended, Nagayoshi was the first to leave the room. Then Genro, Jinzuke, Shikichi, and the others followed. However, Keiji remained seated and continued to look at Shizuko. Sensing that he had something to say, Shizuko asked Ashimitsu, who had been observing the situation, to leave the seat. After a moment of contemplation, Ashimitsu quietly stood up and left the room, exchanging a few words with Keiji. Only Shizuko and Keiji remained, but Keiji did not immediately speak up.

“I’ve been curious for a while, but why does Shizuko hold Genro in such high regard?”

Suddenly, Keiji spoke up while Shizuko was tidying up. She stopped and turned to face Keiji, a small smile appearing on her face.

“Those who can admonish their lord and those who spearhead the battlefield are more important than anything else.”

“…”

Shizuko’s words were based on Tokugawa Ieyasu’s famous quote, “A retainer who admonishes his lord’s misdeeds is far more valuable than one who thrusts his spear first on the battlefield.” The higher the lord’s position and the stronger their power, the easier it is for both the lord and those around them to become overconfident in their abilities. In such a state, it becomes difficult to point out the lord’s misdeeds or mistakes and admonish them. The lord, too, becomes more concerned with being embarrassed and starts to dislike admonishments, no matter how correct they may be.

“It may sound self-serving, but the higher my position becomes, the fewer people there are who can point out my mistakes. And if there is no one to admonish me, as long as people listen to what I say, there will be no mistakes. That kind of mindset becomes prevalent. To prevent that, Genro-jii-chan is a valuable person. It’s strange not to value him.”

“I see. So, that’s the reason.”,”Indeed, Genro’s military achievements are subtle. There will surely be considerable opposition to his appointment as the head of the gunners this time. But you see, once the Takeda war is over, the gunners will catch the attention of the influential people. At that time, it will be troublesome if we only have people who can flatter the strong. Even if it’s someone higher up, they must be able to point out any mistakes.”

“Because they can look out for their own interests and judge the rightness or wrongness of the person they serve.”

“Exactly. Of course, I don’t accept every opinion. But being admonished means that the person has some awareness of the problem. So I stop and take a step back to reflect on myself. That way, I can make course corrections before making a big mistake, right?”

Shizuko’s words made Keiji smile. People who talk loudly and flatter others are bothersome. They start to value those who agree with them and say pleasing words, and eventually, they no longer listen to admonishments.

(I see. That’s why Genro-jii is the most highly regarded. The others don’t speak up even if they have thoughts of their own for the sake of their own advancement. But Genro-jii prioritizes Shizuchi over self-preservation. Shizuchi understands that difference, right?)

I thought it was just sympathy for Genro’s situation, but I’m relieved that it’s not. Shizuko has a sweet side that can’t be completely heartless, and I’ve always been worried that it might lead to bad results. I thought that Genro’s significant promotion this time was due to past dedication, but I understood that it wasn’t the case by listening to their inner thoughts. I feel a little relieved, but I can’t assert that it won’t happen in the future, so I will continue to observe Shizuko’s actions from now on, Keiji thought.

“Well, well, I thought you were just being naive, but it seems you were actually thinking.”

“Why do people think that I don’t think about anything?”

“It can’t be helped. Shizuchi’s actions often become clear only when the results are seen. To ordinary people who don’t have an overarching perspective, it seems like you’re just acting on impulse.”

“Well, I think I’m pretty straightforward in my actions.”

Shizuko expressed dissatisfaction with Keiji’s words. However, from Shizuko’s perspective, it was understandable, but for ordinary people who couldn’t see the bigger picture, it was difficult to understand.

“That’s just Shizuchi. Well, now that our questions are resolved, shall we go out and have some fun in town?”

Doing what you want when you want. Even if everyone else is desperately training in preparation for the battle with Takeda, Keiji will play because he wants to. That’s who Maeda Keiji is.

“If you stay out too late, you won’t make it in time for dinner.”

“That would be a problem. Well, I’ll play as long as it’s not too much.”

Keiji waved his hand at Shizuko as he left the room. Shizuko smiled wryly and waved back, following him. When Keiji’s footsteps couldn’t be heard anymore, only Shizuko remained in the room. After finishing tidying up, Shizuko also left the room and headed to their own room. Upon returning to the room, Shizuko made arrangements to send a letter to Nobunaga with the contents they had prepared in advance.

(The die is cast, huh?)

Since the Western Campaign has begun, Shizuko can no longer afford to hesitate. There is no other choice but to go all the way. Either Takeda will be destroyed, or Shizuko’s army will be completely wiped out. The future holds one of these two possibilities. Of course, Shizuko has no intention of losing easily. Now that Takeda has set out, it’s time to take action.

(It’s inevitable, but from now on, I’ll have to lie to various people. It’s a bit depressing to think about.)

In order to succeed in their strategy, sometimes it is necessary to deceive even allies. The higher the position of the person being deceived, the greater the effect that can be obtained. However, Shizuko, who is not good at lying, wonders if they can deceive others. It is a difficult task for Shizuko, who rarely consciously deceives others, to ensure that their expressions don’t give anything away and that their stories are consistent.

“Well, I guess I’ll manage somehow.”

Shizuko concluded that it was useless to think about it and gave up on thinking.

The Takeda army was advancing with unstoppable momentum. They were capturing one castle every three days and pushing forward towards Ieyasu’s main castle. In addition to the main Takeda army, Yamagata was also invading Mikawa, preventing Ieyasu from moving his forces from Mikawa, and leaving him with only 8,000 troops in Totomi. Fearing that their own retainers might defect to the Takeda side while they were idle, Ieyasu set out on October 14th to fight against the Takeda army at Sangano-gawa and Ichigon-saka, but due to the inferiority of their forces, they were defeated as expected.

However, thanks to the efforts of loyal retainers like Tadakatsu, the major warlords managed to escape from the battlefield and retreat to Hamamatsu Castle. Shingen and the Takeda retainers were amazed by Tadakatsu’s performance in this battle, and it is said that Honda Tadakatsu was praised as surpassing the Tokugawa. The Takeda army’s momentum continued, and even in November, the situation did not improve.

“Is there no way to counterattack?”

Ieyasu uttered words of despair. No one could provide an answer to his question. The Battle of Ichigon-saka had made the power difference between the two sides painfully clear. At this point, there was no hope for the Tokugawa to win against the Takeda.

“We have no choice but to request reinforcements from the Oda.”

“That’s impossible. The Oda are also surrounded by enemies on all sides. They don’t have the spare troops to send to us.”

One of the retainers suggested requesting reinforcements from the Oda. However, knowing that the Oda were under relentless attacks from the Asai, Asakura, and Honganji Temple, Ieyasu knew that there was no way the Oda could spare troops for him. That’s why he considered the suggestion of requesting reinforcements from the Oda to be impossible.

“My lord, at this rate, the Tokugawa will be finished. Perhaps we have no choice but to surrender to the Takeda.”

“That’s also impossible now. Takeda won’t stop until they ravage Mikawa and Totomi.”

The idea of surrender was also brought up, but they believed that it was too late to accept surrender. Even if surrender were possible, it was clear that they would lose their land and be used as a spearhead against the Oda. It would be going from one hell to another.

“My lord, there is one point that concerns me.”

In the heavy atmosphere, Hanzo spoke up to Ieyasu. Desperate to change the atmosphere, Ieyasu allowed Hanzo to speak.

“Lord, it seems that the person Tadakatsu is obessed over, Lady Shizuko, is not moving the entire army while keeping it stationed in Owari.”

“Wh-wh-wh-wh-who said I’m obsessed about her!”

Tadakatsu visibly flustered, but Hanzo didn’t pay attention to it. It was a somewhat comical scene, and the retainers couldn’t help but smile. The heavy atmosphere lightened slightly, or so Ieyasu thought.

“That’s a strange story. Right now, we don’t have the luxury of sending troops to Owari. Yet, if the army is not moving even in this situation, could it be that they have some ulterior motive…?”

“Could it be for the attack on Iwamura Castle?”

Iwamura Castle, which had wielded authority in Eastern Mino, lost its lord, Toyama Kagetomo, to illness in May. Seizing this opportunity, Nobunaga dispatched his retainers to Eastern Mino and occupied Iwamura Castle. Otsuya-no-kata, the wife of Kagetomo and Nobunaga’s aunt, adopted Nobunaga’s fifth son, later known as Oda Katsunaga, as her heir. She herself took over as the head of the family and became the guardian of Oda Katsunaga.

However, when the Takeda Western Campaign began, Otsuya-no-kata responded to the movements of the Takeda and drove out Nobunaga’s forces from Iwamura Castle, defecting to the Takeda. This sudden betrayal enraged Nobunaga. Not only Nobunaga but also the Far Mountain clan in Eastern Mino were outraged by Otsuya-no-kata’s betrayal. It is said that the Uemura Battle took place in December, but there are two theories, one in the first year of Genki and the other in the third year of Genki, and it is still unclear.

“Since it’s a betrayal by a family member, we must deal with it thoroughly. We can also establish control over Eastern Mino.”

“Do you have solid evidence?”

“Yes. Reports have come in that Shizuko’s army is preparing for battle. They are also conducting military training, so there is no doubt.”

It seemed like a reasonable story, but Ieyasu couldn’t easily believe it. Shizuko’s army is the army that Shizuko and Nobunaga have nurtured with care. In the face of the imminent threat of Takeda, it was unimaginable to throw Shizuko’s army into the fray for the sake of dealing with internal matters.

“Understood. Let’s focus on dealing with Takeda for now.”

However, despite his words, Ieyasu couldn’t come up with any strategies to deal with Takeda.

By late November, a tense atmosphere pervaded the Oda clan. The only news that could be heard was the rapid advance of the Takeda army, and there was no other bright topic. If things continued like this, everything would be swallowed up by Takeda, and those who were impatient felt a sense of despair. Even at this point, Nobunaga did not clearly show his intention to fight against Takeda. At first glance, Nobunaga’s actions seemed weak. But everyone understood that when the opponent was Takeda, even Nobunaga had to be cautious.

In the midst of this, Shizuko was struggling with documents. They were busy checking the supplies that were being brought in one after another. But each item was important, so they couldn’t afford to neglect even one.

(We still don’t have enough gun parts. At this rate, we’ll be short by about 500.)

After much deliberation, Shizuko decided to double the quota and offer a larger reward to those who achieved it. Some skilled workers would surely meet the expectations. With this, it is expected that the parts will reach the required quantity. Shizuko handed the key to the treasury where the gold coins were kept and the production order for increased production to a pageboy and moved on to the next document. The production of equipment to be worn under the armor was on schedule, but there was no room for error. After much consideration, Shizuko decided that reserves were necessary and instructed to increase production for a few more weeks. For this as well, a large reward was promised to those who achieved double the quota.

“It’s going to be a serious black labor, but we have no choice but to endure it for these few weeks.”,Bad rumors spread quickly. The rumor that Takeda was attacking the Tokugawa territory with all their might spread in no time. And it was not unreasonable for people to think that after Tokugawa, it would be Oda. Therefore, the fact that a decisive battle with Takeda was inevitable was an open secret within the Oda territory. Since there was no point in hiding it anymore, Shizuko took advantage of it and imposed an impossible burden similar to wartime mobilization. She understood that she was demanding the impossible, but if they were to be trampled by Takeda, there was no other choice but to work as if their lives depended on it.

“Ah, this might just work… They have it even tougher over there though.”

After approving all the documents, Shizuko collapsed onto her desk. Training of the soldiers was entrusted to Mori Yoshinari, and in that sense, they were experiencing a different kind of hell. Even Shizuko’s directly managed unit, which was usually subjected to strict training, complained that Yoshinari’s training was more like killing than training. Nagayoshi, who would usually be energetic at night, would return from Yoshinari’s training, finish his bath and meal, and collapse onto his futon.

“Genro must be going through a lot.”

Genro selected 1,000 promising soldiers and organized them as gunners. However, unlike the well-knit and cohesive cavalry archers who grew up together, they were a motley crew pulled from various units, so they couldn’t function as a proper unit at first and were awkward. They had just started to show some unity recently, but problems still persisted. Because of this, there was a significant delay in training. The training, which should have been completed according to the schedule, still had more than half remaining. Shizuko was troubled by this, but suddenly came up with a clever idea. She thought it would also serve as a countermeasure against spies and decided to make significant changes to the training plan. Fortunately, the slow progress allowed for a smooth transition in the training content.

“Now we just have to wait for the right time.”

With a slight modification to the plan, it was expected to take shape around early December. By that time, Takeda would have no choice but to head to Mikatagahara. If the goddess of victory smiled upon them, the Oda clan could claim victory. However, battles are unpredictable. How to deal with unexpected events and adjust them to their advantage was the only concern.

(Ah, come to think of it, November is almost over. It seems like it’s about time for Lord to send reinforcements to Tokugawa.)

As Shizuko was thinking about such things, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps.